What Can't be Unseen
by Virtual Rose
Summary: When Naru takes a case from a blind man who claims he saw a woman in his home, he never expected the risk to be so high. Why have children become so sinister? Why are they vanishing? unedited. I don't own Ghost Hunt.
1. Chapter 1

Icy sleet pelted the city streets in torrents. People hurried along the sidewalks, anxious to get indoors and away from the painful wind that scraped against them. A teenage girl quickly walked as carefully as she could without slipping on the ice that was accumulating despite the salt that had been spread on the pavement. Her head bent against the wind as she reached an office building. Kicking off any ice that had stuck to her shoes she entered the office her teeth chattering as she took off her hat, coat, scarf, and gloves and hung them on a standardized coat rack. Rubbing her hands together she waited for the greeting she would normally receive.

"Mai?" the voice was droll and held no emotion.

"Here," the girl called toward the door that had CEO written on it. Her voice that seemed to be naturally cheery had the slight bitter tang of tiredness and a scratchy throat.

There was a small, but notable, pause from the in the air as the girl waited for the boss to respond. Then came the familiar syllable she heard every day.

"Tea."

"Yes, Naru," she called before walking to another door that lead to a small kitchen. Placing a kettle on the open flame of the stove top she walked over to a tea chest. She decided that a peppermint tea would be best for a dreary day like this she prepared the cups for the tea.

Entering the office she set down the cup on the desk and stepped back for a moment, waiting for a word of gratification that would never come, as was her custom. As she began to turn around to leave she felt a hand grab her wrist and gently turn her hand over, palm facing up. She was staring at their hands when Naru placed a small object in her palm. Letting go of her he turned back around and continued to work. Mai left his office and went to her desk. Opening her hand she found a small cherry throat lozenge. Smiling softly, she unwrapped the lozenge and popped it in her mouth before she began to file. Her cheeks burning with pleasure.

After a couple of hours and multiple trips to Naru's office to refill his tea cup and a couple of trips to the other private office belonging to Naru's other assistant, Lin. Who was silent except for the occasional 'thank you' that his teenage boss was too good to give. There was a tinkling at the door and Mai trotted out of the kitchen to see who it was.

There stood a man, tall and willowy, with wispy brown hair, dressed in a well tailored suit and coat. He wore dark tinted glasses and carried the leash of a black Labrador with a distinctive yellow collar. He was blind, evidently.

"Hello. Welcome Shibuya Psychic Research. I am Mai Taniyama. How may I help you?" she said with a smile. Her voice was still scratchy. Her posture was professional, straight back hands hung at her sides as she addressed the client.

A small smile graced the lips of the man, who - in the back of Mai's mind—was quite dashing. "Ah, yes you can. I am Saito Iwate." He held out his hand for her. She clasped it and shook it. "I believe that a female spirit is haunting my home."

"Ah, well if you will make yourself at home, I will go fetch the boss so you may discuss the case with him," she said kindly. "Do you need any help before I go get him?" Reminding herself that he might have issues navigating the sitting room.

"Thank you. But, I can manage on my own." He removed his coat and with a little nudging from the Labrador placed it on the coat rack easily. Much to the amazement of Mai

"Okay, I'll be right back Mr. Iwate." Mai walked to the door and knocked twice.

"Yes, idiot?" said the cold, bored and belittling voice of her, only two-years-older-than-her boss. Rolling her eyes at the door she replied obviously annoyed.

"There is a client," she said grumpily. "Jerk," she tacked on as an afterthought.

The door opened to reveal a tall, slender teenager dressed in all black. Mai glared up at him, despising the all-too-obvious height difference, who by now was standing just inside of her personal bubble making her insides feel like gelatin. He looked down at her with startlingly blue eyes. His mouth opened to speak. Instead one word came out. "Tea."

Grumbling about miss treatment of employees, Mai retreated to the kitchen –with an annoyed flip of her short brown hair- to make tea. Wherein, she let out a small relived sigh and fanned her now heated cheeks. Despite her irritation at the man she could not help but care for him more than what the average employee should. In fact, she was positive she was in love with him in_ spite _of everything he does to irritate her.

The tea was done soon and she served it out in the sitting area where Lin was sitting with his laptop and Naru getting general information from the client. When Mai sat down is when the real questions began.

"Explain what has been happening Mr. Iwate," said Naru dryly.

"I believe that my home is being haunted by a female spirit," said Mr. Iwate seriously.

"What events have lead you to this belief?" returned Naru just as dryly as before. Mai could tell that he was greatly uninterested so far.

"Well, during my brief tale keep in mind that I have been blind since I was 3 therefore my memory of human form is greatly lacking," started Mr. Iwate. "A few months ago I began to hear laughing. Then crying. I live with my two twin daughters and my wife, you see. And at first I thought it could have been them but then I realized that it wasn't them the tones were completely off. Being blind I am very good at picking up small sound and differences in them," the man looked uneasy now as he continued. Mai noticed Naru sitting up a little in his chair giving the man more attention. "Then I heard screaming, and then more laughter and then more screaming. It was like a CD on loop, until it stopped all together. The house was then eerily quiet then I heard my daughter scream for me. When I arrived at her room I opened the door," at this point he stopped for a moment. Naru was staring at the man intently and Mai was at the edge of her seat with her brown eyes wide open. The room was quiet, Mr. Iwate seemed to be struggling to say whatever he was going to say. Naru had just begun to open his mouth to prompt Mr. Iwate when the man blurted out:

"I _saw_ the figure of a woman standing in front of me."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, hi. I am Miss Archery nice to meet all of you. Please enjoy this next installment of _What Can't be Unseen. _I am very sorry if there are any typos, errors or plot gaps or anything like that, I kind of just wrote it and posted it. Feel free to review. Flaming is also welcome, so long as it is constructive flaming and not the kind that contains curse words and offend my intelligence. Please, feel free to ask questions about me and/or my story.**

**Thanks for reading **

** - Miss Archery**

* * *

"_I __saw__ the figure of a woman in front of me."_

The room was dead silent except for the howling wind from outside. Mai glanced at Naru momentarily to assess his expression. The wheels were turning in his brain as be processed the information.

Naru's voice stirred the still air "When did this occur?" Lin began to type again.

"Two nights ago," Mr. Iwate responded slightly more ruffled then when he came in. He ran a hand roughly through is hair and nervously patted the Labrador.

Naru, remand apathetic nodded despite knowing that his client would be unable to respond to such an action. "Have there been any other supernatural phenomena occurring at your residence?"

"Yes. For the past 3 years we have been hearing heavy footsteps in the attic and occasionally my daughters will hear heavy breathing when they are in bed."

At this Mai made an audible gasp and spoke to the client "Why have you not found professional help before now?" Naru spared Mai a glance as if silently agreeing with her.

"Before, the happenings were so rare that we thought they were our imaginations, until a week ago when they started to happen more and more frequently," stated Mr. Iwate still scratching the dog's ears nervously. "Please, will you or will you not take the case?" his voice was desperate now completely off from when he came in.

"Fine. We will take your case," said Naru without the usual hesitation. "But, two things before you go. I need you to prepare 3 rooms if you can for us to use during this case."

"I only have two spare rooms, would you be able to work with that?" Said Mr. Iwate relieved.

"We can manage with that. Secondly, was there any detail you can recall that you have left out of this? Anything you might have offhandedly pushed to the back of your mind saying that it has nothing to do with what is going on?" Mai stared at Naru. This was not the kind of question he would normally ask a client. Why, would he suddenly ask that?

When Mai looked back at Mr. Iwate she saw his hesitation and uncertainty. "Well," he started not quite strongly. "Well, you see," he paused again. The man took a deep breath and spoke, now with a little more strength, "Ever since I saw the woman my daughter, Sara, hasn't been acting the same." A depressed sort of gloom flickered in the man's posture. It was as if there were momentary slouch in the way he sat. Mai scrunched her eyebrows together.

"How different?" asked Naru, his eyes sparked at new development.

"It is like she is a completely different girl. Sara, is the goodie-two-shoes out of my daughters. Not that Sakura –my other daughter –is a bad child. But, now, Sara is acting like deviant maniac."

* * *

The next morning Lin and Mai loaded the SPR van with company equipment for the case. While they did so another car came up to the building and parked next to the van. There was the resounding sound of the car door opening and closing. Mai, who was shoving a box in the back of the van to make it fit better, was suddenly squished against a tall dirty-blond haired man in a lung-restricting embrace.

"Mai!" knowing all too well who the booming voice belonged to Mai struggled to get loose. "I missed you, Mai!"

"Monk! I can't breathe you pervert!" wheezed out Mai who noted the flash of red hair come in to view. "Ayako! Help!"

There was a loud smacking sound. And Monk cringed and backed away from Mai with sad doe eyes. "That was cruel Mai, Ayako." He rubbed the back of his head. Now with all of her limbs free she could also see a young man with short blond hair looking back and forth between them Monk and Ayako looking anxious as they began to bicker.

Mai waved at the man and flashed him the peace sign. "Hi, John!"

"Hello Mai, are you doing well?" he asked kindly with a gentle smile.

Grinning broadly at him she replied that she was well.

There was a snap and a cold voice from behind Mai. "I don't pay you to act like children," said the voice belonging to Naru. Turning around Mai realized that the snapping sound was his black folder.

Rolling her eyes at her overly serious boss she continued her work only after she snapped a sarcastic, "Yes, your majesty," and curtsied. When everything was ready they all got into their respective vehicles and stated their journey to the Iwate's home.

The ride to the house was quiet. Lin and Naru made no attempt at conversation and Mai, having worked for Naru for two years now recognized it as the kind of silence that would not welcome any kind of relief. So, she let the passing scenery lull her into a relaxed sleep. Unbeknownst to Mai, her head sagged onto her seatmate's shoulder, who happened to be Naru. Also unbeknownst to Mai, Naru put down his file and glanced down at her with an almost smile and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Never noticing Lin glancing at them through the rear view mirror, smirking.

* * *

When Mai opened her eyes she found herself standing in what seemed to be a large old wine cellar. It was dark and cool; it smelled of earth and mildew. Mai realized that she was dreaming. Any minute now Gene would show up and guide her. So, she waited in the tense atmosphere. With a cold dread in the pit of her stomach that made her quake slightly.

There was a scuffling sound from around the corner. Mai tried to move but found her feet glued to their spot. Then there was giggling along with a horrible ripping sound. There were chucks of something flying from around the corner. Mai felt all of her other senses vanish. Hearing, scent, feeling, balance, taste were gone; all she could do was watch the small unidentifiable objects fly haphazardly around.

Then everything dissipated to black. When she looked around she saw the familiar white, glowing orbs. Suddenly all of her other senses rushed back to her. She could hear the soft, barely there, wind like whisper. She could small the home like scent of her shirt and feel the weightlessness of her body in the astral realm. It was a relief.

Looking around herself once more she finally saw a dark figure moving towards her.

"Gene!" called Mai.

A boy practically identical to Naru reached her and smiled softly. His blue eyes were warm and happy to see her.

"Mai," greeted Gene affectionately. Before his gaze on her turned slightly down hill and became a gaze of worry. "Mai, you need to stay away from this house."

"You know you say that every time I go on a case, but I never listen and everything turns out fine," she said with a laugh. Gene did not smile. In fact his frown seemed to deepen into a grimace. His eyes widened and he looked over his shoulder as if he saw something there.

"What you are about to face is nothing like you have faced before," he said suddenly rushed. "I am not sure if that idiot scientist can solve this case. At least not until something horrible happens." His face was that of desperation. His face was suddenly blurring like a TV screen when there was a bad storm, he kept going in and out of focus. "Mai, please promise me you'll leave!"

"I can't! You know how Naru is!" she cried out not fully realizing the tears soaking her face. "Tell me what is in that house!"

"Then listen carefully. The thing in that house is a –" he vanished. And all that could be heard in the dim quiet of her dream space was the eerie sound of someone giggling.

* * *

On Naru's end he wondered what Mai was dreaming about. One moment she was shaking against him, then smiling and now she was crying and struggling. He was just getting worried enough to rouse her when her eyelids snapped open and she sucked in a large lung full of air.

It took her a moment to realize what she was leaning on, but once she did she snapped upright with soaking pink tinged cheeks.

Naru looked at her intently too worried and interested in her dream to tease her about blushing. When she seemed to have settled down enough he spoke; "Mai, what did you dream about." He watched her take a long breath and wipe her face dry before beginning her tale.

His face was apathetic but his eyes were cool and calculating. A bitter twist of worry for his brother, knotted itself in his stomach when he was told of Gene's disappearance.

What hadn't they faced before? They had faced demons, gods, ghosts, poltergeists, children who were in so much distress that they caused psychic phenomena… What could they face that was not something they had already gone up against? Witches, maybe? Voodoo?

All he knew was he was not going to pass up this opportunity.


	3. Chapter 3

**I would like to apologize for this taking so long to be updated. My only explanation is that life happened, I got strep throat and bronchitis and I fell behind in my school work. My original goal was to update about once a week but I think it might end up being once every two, but I am working on this. I sincerely am sorry. I hope this is everything you were waiting for and that you continue to read.**

**Miss Archery**

**P.S. I also wanted to say that this story is intended to take on a more mature attitude towards Ghost Hunt. So, the characters might seem different but I am trying my best to keep the soul the same.**

When they arrived at the client's house Naru set the team immediately to work. Mai, in her juvenile way, observed the house with interest. Once they unloaded the van and set up the base, with plenty of entertainment from Monk and Ayako's complaining and bickering, the team set up the sleeping arrangements. Since the male to female ratio was tilted in the men's direction the boys would take the large guest bedroom while Mai and Ayako would be sleeping in the base—the living room- in sleeping bags, much to Ayako's distress.

"John, Ayako —Walk through the house and get a reading," bit out Naru in full work mode. "Mai, Monk – Set up cameras in all of the rooms and take the temperature."

Monk groaned and mumbled something about Ayako getting the easy jobs.

"Come on Monk, let's get to work," said Mai. She was too weary to fight about the treatment she received from Naru. This was dually noted by her young boss who was beginning to realize that his assistant had not been normal since she woke up.

"Geez Mai how do you handle the snippiness all the time?" Commented the Monk, incredulously. He worked on angling a camera in the living room while Mai set up the microphone.

"I don't know," she commented offhandedly. "I guess you just get used to it." There was silence in the room as they continued to work.

"Mai," said Monk breaking the still air. "Are you alright? You haven't been acting yourself lately." His face showed worry and concern.

"Yeah, I just had a troubling dream on the way up here."

"You had a dream?" Monk now looked alarmed. "Did you tell Naru? Mai this could be important!"

"Monk stop scolding me! I told him once I woke up," she said. He deflated like a dog realizing that it wasn't intruders coming into the house but it's master.

They were walking down a hallway to the Iwate's girl's room. Monk opened the door and there was a soft whooshing sound. The hair's on the back of Mai's neck rose and she had the sudden feeling that she should run. Her companion did not seem to notice anything and began to walk into the room when Mai gripped his sleeve.

"Mai?" he asked, worried.

She swallowed. "I," she stopped, breathed then continued. "I have a bad feeling, Monk." The tall man nodded, before pulling out a small radio. When it came to Mai it was better to be cautious then to ignore her intuition.

"Naru?" Monk asked into the device.

"What is it?" responded an irritated voice.

"Mai," Monk said. "She says she has a bad feeling."

"Where are you?" Naru snapped urgently.

"Outside of the Sara and Sakura's room," he answered. "Do you want us to go in?"

Silence. Then the sounds of footsteps were heard from the other end of the hall. Looking around they saw Naru walking towards them.

"Yes in fact, I do want you to go in." Monk looked at Naru, shocked, but then shook the feeling and stepped into the room with Mai and Naru close behind.

Mai felt both relieved and uncomfortable. On one hand having her boss there made her feel safer. On the other, he was watching her very intently for her reactions. Shaking it off she walked forward. She then stepped over the threshold, and collapsed. There was an exclamation in surprise from Monk as he ran to her worriedly. Naru, who was already kneeling next to Mai, placed a hand gently on her cheek and looked at her face intently. Her eyes although open had taken on a milky appearance and she seemed to be unconscious.

"What happened?" cried Monk almost frantic.

Naru did not answer but his eyes were hard and his jaw clenched, yet his hands were almost tender as he scooped her up into his arms. He let her head loll into his collar. Monk stared and shuddered at the blank gaze of his sister like friend in Naru's arms. Naru walked back out of the room.

"Monk, finish setting up the camera and come back to base." With that he turned around and headed back to base.

* * *

The first thing Mai noticed was that her arms were above her head and bound. The next thing she realized was much more alarming; she couldn't see. She could feel her eyes blink but everything was dark. Crying out in alarm and fright, she struggled with her bonds in her hands only to find that her legs and feet were bound against a wall making her body form an 'X'. Tears were dripping down her face by now. Screaming and sobbing, the feeling of claustrophobia was noxious.

A high and evil laugh traveled to Mai's ears quietly. Freezing mid sob she started shaking violently. The voice grew nearer until she could feel the soft huffing of warm breath in her ear. There was a whisper so light that if whatever it was had not been right next to her, Mai would never have heard it.

"You look delicious."

Mai's insides were twisting painfully with anxiety, and terror. She was so stiff that it was a wonder that her bones had not snapped yet. She felt cold fingers lift her shirt above her stomach and gently stroke her smooth skin. Next thing she knew there was a horrible ripping sensation where the fingers were. She screamed. She had never felt anything so painful in her life.

Then whatever it was that was doing this to her started lapping up the blood eagerly gripping her hips roughly.

Mai blacked out.

* * *

When Naru —hurriedly- reached the base he placed Mai on the couch, slightly relieved to set her down. When he was half way down the hall Mai had started struggling in his arms and he was unsure he wouldn't drop her. Now she was on laying on the couch her milky eyes staring up with tears leaking out. Lin, who had been typing something, came over next to Naru with his brows furrowed.

"What happened?" the Chinese man asked, concerned. Naru was just about to answer when she opened her mouth and screamed. Kneeling beside her Naru shook her.

"Mai!" he called. Nothing just more screaming. Naru was becoming increasingly less in control of himself. All he felt like doing was going into her head and socking whatever was causing Mai to scream like that.

She stopped screaming. Naru was just about to sigh in relief when she started quivering in tumults. Tears still cascading from her eyes continually. Without knowing why, Naru gripped her hand gently.

"Naru!" asserted Lin just as the girl began to scream once again.

Naru looked away from Mai's face and looked at Lin who had taken off his tie and was pressing it to Mai's abdomen. His eye's snapped to her stomach and then widened in the shear horror of it. Her light pink tee-shirt was staining red.

Taking off his jacket he flung it at Lin and bolted out the door. Running as near frantic as possible throughout the house, he flung multiple doors open until he heard the surprised voices he was looking for. Ayako and John looked at him with shock written in every line of their face. It was not just being startled it was the fact that the look on Naru's face was more emotional then they had ever seen. His jaw was clenched, his fists were so tight that the tendons were clearly showing and his eyes showed such a pure emotion that they were almost causing the temperature to drop from their intensity.

"Matsuzaki! Mai needs your medical attention!"

The woman's face went from surprise to white dread in a preternatural speed. She darted out of the room and fallowed Naru to the base, John only a few steps behind.

Ayako flew into the base and shoved Lin and Monk, who had only returned to base a few moments before, out of her way. She inspected the wound on the girl's stomach, tossing the bloodied jacket and tie away. At least Mai had stopped screaming, though now her eyes were closed.

Taking charge of the situation Ayako barked orders at the rest of the team.

"John get me my medical kit. Monk get me hot water. Lin, towels. Naru go get a clean shirt for her."

They all promptly went and retrieved what was needed. Before they returned Ayako had taken off the girl's now red and pink shirt.

When they returned Ayako went about washing the blood away and sanitizing the wound. When she finished she took a needle from the medical kit and sewed the gashes together.

Ayako sighed, quite loudly, in relief. "She'll be fine now." The tension in the room relaxed. Monk slumped against the wall and John sighed. Lin closed his eyes and let a ghost of a smile play on his face. Naru relaxed his hands and looked at the girl as Ayako cleaned the remainder of the blood. Then he noticed something and leaned a little closer to the Mai.

"The gashes," he said breaking the relieved silence. "They look like claw marks."

Silence.

Ayako put bandages around the marks before putting the over large shirt on Mai.

* * *

When everything settled down and it was assumed that Mai was no longer in danger everyone went back to work finishing their previously abandoned tasks. Naru, sat next to Mai while she slept reading a file. He zoned in and out of focus as he glanced back and forth from the file to Mai. When she suddenly started to stir he closed the file to give her his full attention.

Her eye lids fluttered and Naru kneeled next to her. "Mai,' he called firmly. Her eye's snapped open and glanced around. Naru felt his stomach churn when he saw the foggy film over her eyes.

"Mai," he said, again firmly.

"N-Naru?" she asked, unsure. Her eyes were darting in every direction possible.

"I'm here Mai."

"I-I can't see. Where are you?" tears threatened to fall once more from her face.

Naru although surprised at her statement instinctively grabbed her hand in his. "I'm right here Mai."

He felt her relax a bit. "What's going on? Why can't I see?" she cried.

Naru carefully used his other hand to prop her up into a sitting position. She cried out when her stomach was moved. He squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I don't know," he said softly. "Mai, can you tell me what you dreamed about?"

Mai froze and her grip on his hand tightened. "Y-yes. I-I think so." As best as she could Mai retold her dream to Naru. By the end Mai was wiping tears from her cheeks.

Naru, now sitting next to her, did a very un-Naru action and gingerly pulled her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her back and let her cry onto his shirt. She soon fell back asleep, most likely due to the pain killers that Ayako had given her and Naru scrupulously laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. He then got back to working on figuring out the case with a new urgent fervor.

He then decided it was time to contact back up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dear Readers, **

**I'd like to thank you for reading so far and for being so patient with me. I have been so behind in my school that I had absolutely no time for this and I am afraid that you must feel neglected. My apologies. On a lighter note, today (March 17, 2011) is my birthday! And, I thought that I'd be like a Hobbit and give a present to you on my birthday. **

**I hope you enjoy this and please leave a comment/review to let me know how it is going so far. I'd also love to hear how you think this is going to turn out! If you think you can guess the plot let me know. Also there is a poll up in my profile, just to let me know how you think I am doing with my writing. **

**Thanks so much **

**~ Miss Archery **

**

* * *

**The air was still and quiet when Mai woke again, still in a dark world. She worked on trying to sit up on what she assumed was the couch. There was the sound of a rolling chair and then footsteps coming towards her. A firm hand guided her up into an appropriate position.

"Miss. Taniyama, are you feeling alright?" Apparently the hand belonged to Lin. She ignored the kernel of disappointment that struck when she realized this.

"I'm alright Lin, aside from—ya' know." She waved a hand in front of her sightless eyes.

"And your stomach wound?" he inquired almost apathetically. If she had not known how to read Lin's vocal expressions she would have been offended at the lack of concern.

"It hurts a bit but nothing horrible," Mai answered honestly.

There was a hesitant pat on her back, as if to reassure her. "Naru told me to get Ayako when you woke to examine your eyes, so I'll be right back," he informed her. Mai nodded in affirmation.

The sound of Lin's retreating footsteps were the last thing she heard before she was thrown into a suffocating silence. She waited for what seemed to be eternity, but then she heard footsteps again. She sighed in obvious relief and was about to call out when she felt hot breathing in her ear. Mai froze. Then gradually she began to see two pin pricks of light. It felt as though those lights were watching her like eyes. Then they blinked out and two pairs of feet seemed to be coming towards her. The breathing vanished but Mai still sat ridged.

"Mai, I'm here," resounded the voice of Ayako. Mai relaxed now that she was not alone. "Now Mai, I am going to shine a light into your eyes and I want you to tell me if you see anything, even if it's not distinguishable." There was a clicking sound of a doctor's light.

Mai suddenly saw a vague orangey glow in each of her eyes. "I see a very dim light." Her voice was a little excited.

"Good!" Ayako ran a few other tests on Mai's eye sight. By the time she finished Naru and the others had come in. Monk and John were talking about something in hushed tones and Naru was completely silent. "Well the good news is; that you aren't permanently blind. The bad news is that I have no idea when your sight will come back. All I know is that your eyes don't seem to have received any real damage and they are slowly returning to normal. But it'll probably be soon."

"In normal circumstances, I would pull her from this case," commented Naru dryly. "But, as it seems this is a supernatural condition. I could be even more dangerous for her to be taken away."

Mai's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Why would I be in more danger if I left?" she asked.

"Really Mai, your density is truly astounding," insulted Naru, dryly. "For one we do not know the kind of entity that is haunting this place and so we have no idea whether or not it is capable of fallowing someone out of the house. For another, we do not know how you will react to leaving here. If we leave there is a chance that you will regain your sight but on the other hand you might lose your sight forever because of some unknown factor. And three, you probably fall on and hit something if you are not properly watched."

"HEY!" she growled, inelegantly. She was cut off before she could say anything more.

_**BANG!**_

The door to the base slammed open and hurried footsteps were heard in the room. Mai stiffened. Then she heard it.

"Mai~!" followed by a bone crushing hug. This behavior was definitely the work of Madoka. "Are you ok? I heard you lost your sight! Oh~ you poor thing! Everything will be alright now that Madoka is here!" she spoke a mile a minute and Mai barely got the gist of it.

"Madoka. Madoka! I'm fine! Ayako said that my sight will slowly return to normal," she informed the frantic woman calmly. The door slammed again.

"Monk! My sweet love muffin! I have found you!" cried the voice of what could only be Yasu. There was a scuffling sound and the stifling of laughter coming from the other occupants of the room.

"Ugh! Get off me you perv!" screamed Monk, indigent.

When everything calmed down Mai asked why Madoka and Yasu were here. Her legs folded beneath her as she sipped tea from a straw (because it was easier to aim with.)

"We needed researchers," replied Naru simply. "Have you found anything?"

"Well let's review. This house is supposedly haunted by a spirit who has only been seen by a blind man. The daughter of Mr. Iwate seems to be acting unusually."

"By the way, did you check to see if she was possessed?" broke in Madoka.

"Yes, while Mai was asleep," answered Naru. "She is not possessed as far as we can tell. Carry on."

"Right. Well as far as I have been able to find, the children of this property have a strange trend to change their behaviors to the point of being down right insane. Not all of the children have done this."There was a bit of a pause and when Yasu next spoke it was in a more sober voice then they were used to "But all of the ones that change have disappeared, never to be found, within 6 months of their change in demeanor."

The room fell quiet. As they realized that the fate of a little girl depended on their solving this case.

* * *

Three days later nothing unusual had happened. Which in itself was unusual and everyone was a bit high strung, waiting for something to happen. The tension was palpable. Mai could now see various blobs of color by now but no distinctive features capable of recognition.

As of yet they could not figure out what was haunting the house, and Naru was becoming restless. He finally decided that it was time for the _Hypnotic Suggestion_. The family was brought into the very western and rustic living room and set on the couch. The two little girls sat next to each other. One of the twins was looking at the machine curiously the other seemed to be morbidly fascinated with the iron chandelier. Naru's eyes narrowed curiously at her. Sara, Naru assumed that was her, was looking at the chandelier almost as if she were weary of it. When he started the test he noticed that her eyes were the last to land on the light. As though there was a strange resistance from it. When he let them retreat, he circled the joke book that he had suggested would move to the mental piece. For now he would have to wait.

* * *

_Mai found herself in her dreamscape—alone. Gene was nowhere to be seen and it was eerily silent. It had been a good four days of dreamless sleep and Mai was beginning to worry. Now the silent atmosphere of her dream was pressing in on her. She could only feel dread and fear. It was though she was being stalked by a predator. Hunted like a gazelle. She was the one supposed to be doing the hunting not the one being hunted. All she wanted was to wake up or have Gene show up and put her at ease. But, it somehow didn't seem like that was going to happen. _

_Whatever she thought about the overbearing silence it was nothing compared to the voice that broke it._

"_You are my pray little bird…Do not think that you can escape with a clipped wing…" _


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear Readers,**

**Gah! I am such a horrible author! I cannot seem to stay regular with this! Again, SORRY! But, to make up for it, I am willing to write a small one-shot, completely unrelated to this story. You may either choose between a something cute and something serious. I will give you a key word to what those plots entail and you must pick based on that. **

**Here they are; cute: Apples.: Serious; Bloody Mary.**

**There you are, choose your poison. **

**With lots of love **

**~Miss Archery **

**P.S Sorry it is short :P**

_Mai, glared into the darkness of her dream with as much forced ferocity as she could muster. Hands fisted tight in an attempt to hide their trembling. Weather her blindness or their lack of knowledge was this metaphorical "clipped wing" Mai did not know._

_There was harsh laughter, wet and evil. It faded slowly. Sluggishly it was replaced by an image of a door frame, empty of a door. Light seemed to come from behind Mai, ending just at the outer bit of the frame, leaving the inside pitch black. _

_Once more Mai felt as though all of her senses had been stolen but her eyesight, ironically the only thing not working in her woken world. _

_She nervously stared at the door frame as figures emerged from the depths of the blackness. It was a crowd of people ranging from infants to 18. They just stood completely still. _

_Then, all at once they cried out: _

"_Fly!"_

_Everything vanished and Mai sat in a void of nothing._

* * *

Naru sat with his chin caught in his hand with a look of deep concentration. He took a sidelong glance at his sleeping assistant and wondered if she would have any information for him upon waking. He was stumped. When he had inspected the joke book, it was right where he left it, negating any possibility of it being a living, human, suspect.

Sara was not possessed. Almost everything about this case pointed in the direction natural causes, instead of supernatural. If it were not for Mr. Iwate's vision and Mai's dreams, temporary blindness and wounds inflicted by a vision, Naru would have called the case and handed Mr. Iwate a card to a trusted psychologist. For now he had to sit and wait until Mai woke up, or until Yasu and Madoka came back with more information.

For once in his life he actually wished Masako was here. Just to be certain that there was no ghost here, instead of this uncertain and dangerous second guessing. But, as she was in China filming he was stuck second guessing.

He heard a crash and a small shriek. Naru got up and ran to the kitchen where he heard the noise. When he arrived at the scene he found Mrs. Iwate stooping over shards of glass. Apparently she broke her salt-shaker while trying to refill it. What Naru found interesting is that Mrs. Iwates daughter was sitting cross legged in the pile of salt brushing it as though she were cleaning it up. He could vaguely hear her mumbling something. As though she were listing something.

"…and 104…" was all he caught of what, Sara, he assumed, said.

Stooping down to help the little girl expunge the salt, he felt her hand grip his wrist like a vice. Looking at the child's face now staring back at him he was slightly surprised at the viciousness of her countenance.

"Leave this to me, _Sir._" Her growl was that of extreme annoyance and vehement resolve along exasperation. Not an expected out of a little girl with pig-tails.

Naru narrowed his eyes at her. Something about this set alarm bells ringing in his head. The feeling that of reminiscence was strong but the memory that should have come with it was a blur of colours. Pinching his eyes in chagrin, he stomped his way back to base.

Mai was still asleep. Sitting back into his chair he thought about this case.

* * *

_Mai sat in the void of her dreamscape for what felt like the time between two seasons. Then, alarmingly sudden Gene appeared before her and grasped her by the arms. His breathing was rapid and his eyes were wide and panic striken. "__Tuatha…Dan….,"he said. His figure was fuzzing in and out like bad reception. _

_"What?" Mai cried, confused and urgent. She looked up at him hoping he would give her more than some gibberish. _

"_Tua… Dé… nn!" he vanished once again. _

_The cackling laughter returned._

* * *

Mai had woken up. And tried to tell him everything, but she ended up frustrating him more then anything. Despite the fact that she remembered everything clearly she couldn't decipher Genes message enough to be clear at all. Meaning that Naru had a lead dangling in front of his face like a horse with a carrot. After feeding her Naru made Mai go back to sleep under the pretence that she needed to gather more intelligence. Now everything was quiet

Too quiet. The sounds of Monk and Ayako were not present. The only that Naru heard was Lin's typing. He tried to concentrate on the screen in front of him. Which, was becoming increasingly difficult with the prickling sensation running up and down his spine.

"_She's my pray,_" breathed a voice in Naru's ear. He jumped and jerked around. His eyes scanning the room while rubbing his ear to rid himself of an unpleasant tingling sensation.

"Naru? What is wrong?" asked Lin sounding vaguely concerned.

"It's here. In the room with us." Lin's face grew alarmed. He whistled and white lights drew around him. They sat. Waiting.

The lights flashed and went out. Two pinpricks of light illuminated from the darkness. Then there was a muffled scream from Mai, who evidently woke up. Jerking out of his chair Naru rushed to her. Reaching her as the lights came back on. She just grinned at him, and giggled.

Naru growled. "Mai, do you think that was funny?"

She looked at him and nodded. "Yes, yes. It is all in great fun! Great fun! Great fun!" She went into another set of guffaws, her shirt riding up just slightly exposing _smooth _skin. Naru pulled back away from her like he was burned. Glancing at Lin who also looked at her in shock whistled another command to his familiars. They whizzed over to hover around Mai.

Just then John, Monk, Ayako, and Madoka stormed into the room. They stopped, abruptly at the scene before them. Taking in the familiars, Mai's grinning face and Naru and Lin's white shocked faces. Everything was still, save for the shaking laughter of the small girl sitting across the couch.

All that went through Naru's mind was:

_She had _**seen**_ him._

_Her stomach was unmarred_

_This, was not Mai…._


	6. Chapter 6

Naru stared at what appeared to be his assistant with cool hostility. His muscles felt tight like he was coiled in preparation to attack. Mai just stared back at him grinning and cackling like a lunatic. For one brief moment, Naru could have sworn she had bared shark like teeth at him, but he blinked and they were gone.

"Who are you?" the question came out cold, like an icy saber being cut through the thick, palpable quiet of room.

The whole room was utterly still as the rest of the company seemed to hold their collective breaths. The air around them seem to crackle with electric tension as they waited. Even Lin's shiki seemed to be drawn back tightly like a rubber band waiting to snap.

"Awh! I was found out already?!" the _thing_ that resembled Mai squealed in semi-disappointment. "Mama will be so disappointed." She bounced up and down pouting on the couch like a toddler that was told he could not have ice cream.

Monk snarled from the doorway and took a menacing step forward. "That does _not _answer the question." When he received no reply he made to charge at the _thing _but a hand held him back. Glancing down he saw red, manicured nails. Glancing up he saw Ayako with the most louring eyes he had ever seen from the redhead.

"At this moment, I don't give a _damn _who, or what, this thing is. I want to know where Mai is," she glowered at the room and dug her nails into both her palms and Monks arm. But, at the moment neither could be much concerned with that. At their side John was muttering a prayer but glared at the imposter with as much abhorrence as the priest had ever shown.

Another moment of silence.

"Keke!" it's loud titter rang out unpleasantly. It was a sound that they all knew Mai would never have been able to produce. "That," she accentuated the 'th' sound and the 't' sound dramatically, "is a secret."

At that Naru gunned forward and took hold of fraudulent Mai by the collar. There was an energy about him that rolled around like thunderclouds as he stared into the perfect replica of her face. "You," he said in a voice that was more controlled then anyone would have thought given his latest reaction. "You will tell us where she is and who you are."

The thing sneered back up at him for a moment before returning to a toothy grin. Slowly, it reached up its' hands and circled them around Naru's wrists. Pulling itself near his face and tilting it's head so that their noses were a mere breadth away from touching. It's breath fanned across his face and his eyes involuntarily hooded themselves half way. The situation could have been intimate if it were not for the blaring antipathy.

"Nah," it came out as a whisper. A mere puff against his cheeks. Then, without warning, it threw Naru across the room. He landed heavily, sprawling on his back. At the same moment a loud whistle cut through the air and chanting. There was a loud hiss and Naru sat up just in time to see the imposter vanish with a resounding 'pop.'

The whole room remained still in shock.

* * *

Madoka gazed frustrated at the computer screen that glared unhelpfully back at her. It was over two hours since Lin had phoned her about Mai's disappearance. There was only so much research she could do with the limited information she had. Which is ironic really. She sighed angrily, pulling her hair back with her hands before slapping them down on her desk. She glanced around dozens of open books and found the phone. She dialed Oliver's number.

He picked up at the first ring.

"Madoka," his voice was too even. Although Madoka had often joked with Lin about Naru's lack of emotion she knew that he was a protector. It was just in his nature. He was protective of everyone he held close and he was- as she had recently been becoming more aware of- particularly protective of Mai. This turn of events has left him tense and angry. Every moment he lacked control was a moment closer he was to loosing it. She wondered if he had used Psychometry yet.

"Noll, I'm coming up with zilch," she nearly flinched after saying that sentence. A uncomfortable twinge of anxiety made its' home in her stomach. "Is there anything you can tell me that you didn't already? At this point I'll settle for anything."

There was a stiff pause as Naru thought. Madoka held her breath.

"Search for specific behavioral patters. One of the little girls was found counting salt grains at one time and at another she showed an odd reaction to the chandler."

Madoka nodded to herself, frowning a bit as she wrote down these details. Not much to go on, she mused sadly.

"Okay. Thank you, Noll," she was about to hang up but quickly added; "We'll find her, Noll. Don't forget that."

She hit end before he could reply.

* * *

When Mai woke up she could again smell the thick scent of mildew, and feel the chilly, coarse stone at her drenched back. Blinking violently, she couldn't figure out if she had again lost her sight or if it was just dark. Either way she knew she was trapped. She also knew she was alone. The knowledge scared her.

She sat in the darkness and in her own fear for an infinite measure of time before she heard footsteps. She started shaking and her heart rate increased as she pressed her back further into wall and drew her knee's as close to her as he injured stomach would allow- which wasn't much. Franticly she widened her eyes in an attempt to see something. Anything at all!

The footsteps drew nearer. A resounding _click, snap_ of a heel to toe walk. After what seemed like an eternity the footsteps halted before her and there was the sound of someone kneeling. She cringed as a hand came to rest on her shoulder gently.

"Mai," a very familiar voice greeted her.

Relief swept all of her fear away. "Naru!"

"No, Mai. It's me Gene."

Blood rushed from her face and fear shocked her like a livewire. The situation doesn't make sense. "But, that would mean I'm asleep. Why can't I see you!? Even if I were blind in reality, I should still see you when I sleep." Nothing made sense. Up was down, blue was green, marble was jelly, and cats barked. She felt faint. Could you feel faint in a dream?

"That's because," she could feel his hand on her shoulder tighten a fraction. "You aren't sleeping, Mai."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hello everyone. I'm sorry it took me two years to update! I have so busy with school, my athletics, my art and other activities. I also realized that fanfiction isn't really my niche with writing. I love writing and am going to be doing NaNoWriMo this year actually. I am very excited! I have a novel that I have been planning for quite a while now. Now while fanfiction isn't really my thing, I know how frustrating it is to be a reader and have an author not finish their work so I AM going to finish 'What Can't Be Unseen.' Thanks for continuing to read this story and I hope you like it! **

There were quite a lot of things that annoyed and frustrated Oliver Davis, but situations where his people were snatched away from him right before his eyes took the cake. Pinching his nose, Naru turned away from the bright monitor. In the last several hours there had been no good news. Just more bad news. After he hung up the phone with Madoka Mrs. Iwate rushed in and declared in a panic that Sara had vanished.

It was agreed that until the case was solved that the family should stay away from the house. They left that afternoon.

At the moment the entire crew was reading different papers that Yasuhara had dug up in his research, detailing the history of the house and family. So far it seemed like a waste of time.

"Naru, this house is squeaky clean," huffed Monk as he leaned back into the couch stretching his back. A series of satisfying cracks sounded. "It was built less than twenty years ago and there have been no murders, scandals...nothing! The only thing has been the disappearances. " He was irked. They all were.

Naru's gaze flitted to the others, as if asking what they came up with.

John coughed and looked up at Naru with a slight down tilt of his lips. "The family seems to show the same. The most recent discrepancy this family has endured was Mrs. Iwate's great-great-great grandmother, Aki, married a catholic Englishmen, Daniel. Apparently the marriage was not considered legitimate by either side of the family and they were eventually disowned." There was a sympathetic look on John's face as he read over his notes. "They appeared to have moved to the countryside where they were able to reinvent themselves and raise a family quite contentedly. Although the records are quite unspecific. "

"It is possible that the ghost of Aki or Daniel are haunting their family for some reason," reasoned Ayako.

"But, why?" Naru uncrossed his legs and leaned forward on his elbows, a look of confused concentration etched on his face. "What purpose would they have? Also, since the house is only twenty years old and the Iwate's have only lived here for less than half that time, the timeline doesn't add up." He sighed. His phone rang. He quickly picked up.

* * *

Madoka sat cross legged amid a scattering of thick tomes, printed articles and notes. She cradled the phone with her shoulder as she read over her notes.

"Noll, I've come up with several...interesting hypothesis', " she chewed her lip uncertainly. Everything she read came up with different but similar conclusions, and all of them would be called absurd by the scientific community.

"Well?" there was an irritated tick in Noll's voice. Now that Madoka thought about it, not only was Mai missing, her tea was missing. She cringed.

" Think it would be better if I came and gave a report there."

A loud sigh of irritation. "Fine," he said curtly followed by the dial tone.

* * *

"What do you mean, I'm not asleep?" Mai raised her hand and poked him experimentally. There was solid flesh and bone under her finger tip. She gasped and drew back. "Gene, this isn't funny!"

"Mai, this isn't a joke."

"Then how can I touch you? Pardon my bluntness, but you're dead!" Mai felt nearly hysterical. Her brain coming to unpleasant conclusions. "Am I dead? Is that how I can touch you? But, if I'm dead how come I can't see? And how come I am still injured?"

"Yes, I'm still dead, and no you are not." She stiffened and made a sound of protest in the back of her throat. He rubbed his thumb back and forth on her shoulder soothingly. "Mai, I need you to listen to me. I need you to fully understand what I am saying to you."

She took a few breaths and wiped away the few tears that made their way down to her chin and nodded. "I'm listening."

"You know how you are able to move around your dreams?" Again she nodded, unsure if he could see her but confident that he could at least feel the movement. "What you really are doing is looking into other realities or dimensions, the more you control or feel or sense clearly the more you are immersed into that other reality. When you gave Masako your key, your soul was completely immersed." He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "I don't know much about it, but I think every soul travel's through at least three of these dimensions. The earthly, the astral and the afterlife. But, it's likely there are others."

"So, what's the point? This isn't exactly something I did not know," she asked a little apprehensively.

"I think, whatever it is in this house has either manipulated reality so that the earthly and the astral (or another dimension I don't know of) collide here, or they dragged you're whole self -body and soul- through to the astral." Gene sat on his heel's restlessly. Mai stayed silent for a while. "Mai?" he asked quietly. "What are you thinking?"

"That I have no idea how to respond to that," she felt panicked and she finally shifted her legs down as the wounds on her stomach began to throb. "What do you think is most likely?"

"Probably, a little of both," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You are nearly too old for them to take so, I would bet that they found your power's interesting as they have ones similar."

"Gene, what are they?"

"I don't really know. I do know that they aren't rightly ghosts or spirits, but they couldn't be quite characterized as demons either."

"What was the clue you tried to give me earlier?" The thought popped into her head as he gave her information.

Gene sighed unhappily, "Whatever they are have somehow prevented me from telling you details like that." There was a heavy moment before there was a gradual shuffling coming from Mai's left.

The two tensed. Mai could feel Gene's hand push into her shoulder as she assumed he stood up. There was the sound of a scuffle and a thump followed by a sniffling hiccup.

"It's the little girl, Sara," Gene said, his hand left her shoulder and Mai could hear his footsteps drawing near the sniffles. "Hi, I'm Gene. Are you ok?" he asked kindly.

The little girl let out a choked sob that made Mai want to hold her tight to her. "I want my mommy!" Sara cried. Tears renewed themselves in Mai's eyes as she heard Gene whisper to the little girl followed by his feet drawing closer once more.

"This is Mai, Sara," Gene said reaching out and placing a hand back on Mai's shoulder. She didn't realize how tense she was without its' presence until it was replaced. "Mai was with a team who is trying to get you back to your mommy. She was also taken."

Sara sucked in a breath. "Oh no, they got you too!?" Mai felt Sara sit down next to her. Their arms pressed to each other. "Will your team mates find us Ms. Mai?" A little arm clutched her own.

"Of course they will Sara!" exclaimed Mai with a bright smile.

Of course Naru would find them. He was Naru.

* * *

"Alright Madoka, what did you find?" Naru settled himself on the armrest of the couch with his ankle's and arms crossed. His eyes were determined and his eyebrows set at a slight angle.

The others were scattered randomly on the sofas. With eager and concerned faces.

Madoka sat facing them in a foldout chair feeling like she had walked into an intervention. Clearing her throat she began sharing. "Well with accordance to your request I researched odd behavioral patterns, markedly the chandelier thing and the counting salt thing." She flipped open her folder. "What I found was something that if there had been anything else I would have discounted." Naru raised a brow."You see, there is a good deal of mythology that talks about fairies and vampires counting salt as well as iron being lethal to them."

Naru's other eyebrow shot up. "Are you expecting be to consider that a vampire or fairies are behind this?"

"Before you shut down the idea, there is a whole mythology on a type of fairy called a 'changeling,' they are known for snatching children up and replacing them with themselves disguised as the child. And vampires are said to also have shape shifting abilities."

"Madoka, even if what you are saying is possible, you do realize that these are European specifics and we are in Japan," Naru sounded exasperated and on edge. Which attested to his stress level that he was unable to conceal it.

"I'm inclined to believe Naru on this one," John said, Ayako and Monk nodding with him.

"But didn't Daniel come from Europe? Isn't it possible that that whatever it is traveled hitched a ride and has been lurking around," she argued. Naru raised a hand to his chin and took on his classic thinking pose.

"Although you have a point, there is still something wrong with this picture," he sighed angrily and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He stood up and started barking orders, "Monk and Ayako, go change the camera batteries and take down the temperatures in all the rooms. Make sure to take note of any strange impressions you may have."

With an indignant huff Ayako and Monk left the base.

After a few minutes Naru left the room but not before Lin caught him slipping a house key into his pocket.


	8. Chapter 8

"I wonder if I can still dream?" thought Mai aloud. The question came to mind as Sara fell asleep, curled against her side. The room had grown colder as the hours slipped by and Gene had sat himself on her other side, his shoulder pressing against hers. He was surprisingly warm - which she was thankful for in this cool, dank room. She had always thought that touching a spirit would be chilly like how they appear on the inferred cameras or when they manifest in a room. But, she reasoned, if she was in a different dimension all together the rules might be different and souls were a sort of energy so they would likely be warm in some instances since cold things showed a lack of energy. _Hmm. When I get out of this, I might have to study this. Naru probably already has researched it, oh well._

"Probably, although because we are in this pocket of connected dimensions your dreams are likely to affect your body. Rather than just letting you experience the memory of events you might actually be physically effected," he sounded thoughtful. If he had been Naru, Mai could easily imagine him cupping his chin staring off into space as if he was sizing up a chess board. "You should avoid dreaming if you can."

"How on Earth would I do that?" she rolled her useless eyes. "The only way I know how to avoid dreaming is by not sleeping." She shifted her legs, wincing as the wounds on her navel stretched.

She felt her dream guide shrug.

The room continued to chill, she wrapped an arm around Sara, rubbing up and down the cool skin of the girls arm. Mai shivered and gave a throaty cough, finally remembering her impending cold. _Great, _she sniffled to herself.

Gene shifted beside her and before she could ask she felt his warm overcoat draped over her and Sara. He settled next to her again.

"Thanks Gene," she smiled.

"No problem."

There was silence for a minute or two, but Mai felt jittery as her senses were hyperaware without her sight, so she broke it.

"So," she started, coughing to clear her throat. "Got any embarrassing stories about Lin and Naru you absolutely need to tell me?" she quirked a impish eyebrow at him and she could sense he was returning an equally impish grin her way.

XXX

Naru sat alone, in the guy's sleeping quarters. He was turning a house key over in his hands contemplatively. It was Mai's old house key.

He was weighing the pros and cons of using his psychometry. There was a whole list of pros to the scenario; he might learn where Mai is, her condition, clues of what was happening. It really was the best option. But, there was that nagging voice in his head. That infernal, whisper asking him that _damned _question.

_What if she was not okay?_

It was an idea he did not want to entertain. Did not want to even contemplate. But the idea crossed his mind and was holding him back. Green flashes already haunted his nightmares, but if he saw _Mai's_ death, Naru was sure he'd never sleep again.

He sat, stewing in his thoughts trying to rein in his fear and steel himself in logic and reason. The pros outweigh the cons, and only his fear held him back.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up expecting Lin and was surprised slightly to see John. The priest sat in the adjacent bed, facing Naru.

John had a look of somber seriousness. "Are you okay?" he asked kindly and watched as Naru inadvertently glanced down at the key in his hands again, but gave no other answer. "The thing I value about Mai, is her will-power."

Naru snorted and smirked a little at that.

John smiled at that. "Yeah," he sighed a little looking out the darkening sky through the window. "I've tried imagining her without her stubbornness and everything else about her dims. Her compassion, her sense of justice, everything that makes her, her, stems from her unwillingness to give in." There was a pause as John and Naru studied each other before John continued. "Mai won't ever give up, Naru. And whatever you find when you decide to look, Mai will be Mai, and she won't have given up." John got up and made to leave the room but paused at the doorway.

"'God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 2:7'"

He left.

Naru's hands stilled as he stared at the key.

XXX

"...so for a while Lin only had pink shirts," Gene spoke animatedly in a hushed voice, as not to wake Sara. Mai was trembling with repressed giggles, letting out the occasional laughing cough. She winced a little as her injuries pulled but she still was smiling, gaily at the notion of Lin wearing pink dress shirts.

"Yeah, he never let Madoka do his laundry ever again," Gene grinned at Mai before whispering conspiratorially in her ear, "Actually, it was Noll and my fault. We stuck a new red sock in the washer when Madoka wasn't looking."

Mai thought she might burst and said between giggling gasps, "I never thought Naru would be involved in such devious trickery!"

"Well...you'd be surprised how easy it is to bribe Naru."

Although she could not see him, Mai gave him her best disbelieving look. "Explain."

"You just have to know what to bribe him with. Like, if you bring in fresh baked brownies, you can get him to do almost anything." That was one that Mai absolutely felt had to be wrong.

"Are you serious?!" she was incredulous. "Brownies?" it just seemed so un-Naru-like.

"I know. He isn't big on sweets, but for some reason brownies are his comfort food."

Mai snorted. She tried to imagine Naru eating a brownie, it just seemed so incomprehensible.

"We used to be able to bribe him with tea, but I doubt it'd work now."

Mai was about to ask him why when she felt her gut churn and she tensed. There were two feelings battling for dominance over her instincts. There was a wretched, awful sensation of fear and anticipation, competing with a sense of relief. It was odd.

The fear was winning out and she wanted to _move_. But she couldn't. She had no idea of her surroundings beside the wall at her back and the floor beneath her.

There was a change in the air, almost like the sudden smell of an impending storm or snow. And she felt Gene jerk slightly next to her. And she could hear him inhale sharply followed by an echoing inhale across the room.

"What's going on?"

She recognized that voice. It sounded almost exactly like Gene, but it was slightly deeper, like that of an older man, and much more stoic.

She felt the relief side of the battle surge like a wave crashing over her fear, swallowing a chunk.

"Naru!" She exclaimed, she could hear his footsteps nearing.

"Noll?" Gene asked curiously. Mai could feel him stand, wishing for all the world she had her eyes back to normal so she could see them together.

Suddenly, without warning, the fear hit Mai like a ton of bricks all dropping into the pit of her stomach. She jerked forward at the sensation and heaved up the little she had in her. There were exclamations and the sound of someone rushing forward, a hand on her shoulder and two cupping her face. There were words being spoken to her but she could not them make out. All she could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears.

The next thing she knew, the hands were torn away from her and she was jerked forward violently by the hair.


	9. Chapter 9

Naru smacked the stone wall that Mai had wisped though. Her cries of distress echoing though his whirring mind. He turned at looked at his brother with one hand clutching at the stones. For the first time he noticed Sara. She was cowering into the side of Gene's leg now. Naru breathed in and out, counting to himself, trying to hold back the panic threatening to wash over his already adrenaline charged brain. This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to watch the impressions and memories from the key, not be teleported into a dreary, dank room with his dead brother, and two missing girls.

"Gene," he said lowly. "What is happening?" The key he fisted in one hand dug and bit into his palm as he clutched at it for dear life. It was the only thing assuring him of reality.

Gene for his part gaped openly at the spot Mai vanished into. The girl burrowed into his side cried silently, and he was grateful for her quietness. Everything happened so fast, it was like lightning that left it's afterimage burned into your retinas. Mai started acting strangely, then Noll appeared and then Mai disappeared.

"Gene!" Naru's calm was only a farce that not even a child would have difficulty in seeing through let alone his twin who could read raw anguish and forced calculation in every expression and vocal lilt he made.

"Right," Gene finally shook himself free of his shock. "I'm not entirely sure but, I think whatever is doing this has powers able to control and play with dimensional space."

Naru stared at his brother as he worked that over in his brain. It connected several puzzle pieces. That would explain Mai's transference and Gene's solidity. He deduced that they were in a pocket dimension created by the convergence of two neighboring dimensions. Like a Venn diagram, two separate worlds pushed together to create a new one.

" I suppose that the warped dimension messed with your powers, much the same way as they did with Mai's. Your powers are as similar in nature as they are different. My guess is that when you used your psychometry you were transported here _after_ the events happened." Gene's theory was unsettled Naru even more than he already was.

"You mean to say, that what I just witnessed was a past event. And I'm walking in the past due to using psychometry?" Naru glanced around, angered by the fact that when he was sitting in the boy's room moments ago, everything that had just occurred had already happened. It means that Mai had been vanished from the watchful eyes of his brother for much longer than what is seemed.

His brother was keenly aware of the gears clicking and swooshing in his head and wisely remained silent. An interruption at this moment seemed like it would bring the roof down on them.

"Changelings and fairies," the noise Noll made to accompany that was the closest Gene had ever heard to a 'harrumph,' come out of him. "I am _not_ a monster hunter. I am a ghost hunter," he was mumbling to himself, which was not a good sign. Naru closed his eyes and took a long breath. "It seems that the pieces of the mystery are drawing together. In all the lore they have vanishing powers and hidden worlds, an obsession with mischief, fear of iron and a need to count spilt sugar and salt. It all just fits too neatly to be anything else."

A small tug on his pant leg brought him out of his thoughts. Sara stared up at Naru, crocodile tears dripping down her cheeks. She was small and round faced, her two braids were untidy and her cheeks were smudged with dirt and scratched. Naru knelt down to her eye level putting a hand on her small shoulders.

"Mister, Ms. Mai said you'd come to rescue us," her voice was cracked and timid. "Mister, don't let them hurt Ms. Mai." Her lower lip trembled and she looked down at her shoes.

Naru swallowed thickly, "I won't let them."

XXX

Mai could only hear her own breathing. Load, panting breaths coming from quivering lips and shuddering lungs. She wished she could calm her breathing. She could sense the menace lurking. The presence was nearly pulsating in time with her beating heart, but she could not see or hear any indications of them.

She knew that she had not been in the new room for very long, but it felt like an eternity. Each minute felt as though a day passed. Her throat was dry and it was difficult to swallow and the queasiness rolled in her stomach and esophagus, leaving her lightheaded.

Her scalp burned and stung angrily and she could feel a bruise forming on her brow bone from when she landed on the stone floor.

Time dragged and doddled, and every second of silence coiled Mai's nerves tighter and tighter until she felt breathing in her ear. She jumped, nearly falling sideways only to be arrested by cold, long fingered hands curling their way around her upper arms, nails biting. Wet puffs of air ghosted her ear for several tense moments before it spoke in a deceptively lovely, melodic voice.

_"Why don't you dream a little dream of me?_"

XXX

_Mai opened her eyes her eyes to the bright sun reflecting off of blue waves. She felt triumphant, euphoric. She walked over to a bench and sat next to a beautiful European woman with long, brown ringlets dusted ever so slightly with silver. Looking up, Mai met the her beautiful hazel eyes as they crinkled with a smile. _

_"Well Daniel, look," she pointed across the water at the land mass slowly growing. "It's our new home. What do you think?" Her English lilt was soft and soothing and slightly anxious and worried. Mai -or Daniel- felt elated, like he could feed off of the woman's nervousness. _

_"Oh yes, Mummy," he spoke gaily. Feeling a hot bubbling urge to do something. "I think it'll do splendidly. I'm sure there are all sorts of rodents-" He was cut off sharply, which only brought a toothy grin to his face._

_"Young man! I will not have you tortu...experiment with anything when we arrive!" The woman seemed distraught. She was suddenly roused by the agitation caused by someone who yelped in pain. A man in the far corner of the deck had shot up from where he was trying to sit. There was blood staining his rear as he pulled out a rusty looking tack. The woman looked at her son who was watching the expressions on her face as he did not even try to hide his guffaws of hideous laughter. _

_What happened to her sweet little boy, she seemed to be thinking. _

_The dream changed. Now Mai was standing before an alter with a beautiful, young, fresh, tender, ripe, Japanese woman. They were just pronounced man and wife. The woman seemed elated as she held on to Daniel's hand. Excitement blossomed throughout his body as they made it to their small home. _

_Time seemed to fast forward and now Mai held the same woman's hand. They were in a birthing room and the woman was clutching him with a vice like grip as she breathed._

_"Alright, the next contraction you can start pushing," said the midwife from between Daniel's wife's legs. A minute later there was screaming from his wife as she braced down. Then she stopped taking deep breaths tears leaked from her eyes. A minute later she was screaming again. The fear and pain felt wonderful, absolutely intoxicating. An hour later the midwife announced something different than her usual encouragement. " I see the head!" _

_The next twenty minutes was again filled with screaming as Daniel's wife pushed and braced herself down. Finally there were cries filling the room._

_Absolute, horrendous, glee filled the pit of Daniel's stomach as they went home. At the house everyone went to sleep, the mother out like a light and the baby cooing in his crib and Daniel grinned running his tongue over his razor sharp teeth._

_He snatched the baby from the crib and placed a small impish creature inside the crib and watched as it morphed into a perfect replica of the newborn. Daniel leaned down and patted the imposter's head._

_"You are the first." _


	10. Chapter 10

Mai woke up screaming, tears dribbling down her cheeks. She choked on her screams and started gagging. Her hysterical sobbing was punctuated with hiccups that wrecked havoc on her injuries. _Oh God, I can still taste it. Oh God, I can't stand it._ This was worse than anything her powers had ever shown her. She'd rather die than live through that again, she'd rather die than remember. Stomach acid burned at her throat as it escaped her mouth. She clenched her eyes shut, wishing Naru would come save her.

There was a cold laughter invading her senses like knives, filling the room with harsh, cruel glee. Mai, opened her eyes.

XXX

Naru's brain was working at a break-neck speed, flipping between piecing together the details of the case and finding his way to Mai. He stood in the same position, staring at the wall that Mai had passed through. He could hear the vague murmurs of Gene and Sara in the corner.

He realized that Mai had probably been targeted from the start, her sudden blindness had been deliberate and not a psychic reaction. Meaning that the thing that took her was playing with her.

Frustrated Naru took to looking around at the structure he was in. It was dark with walls made out of stones and a concrete floor. The room was maybe 15x15 feet and 8 feet high. There was a small adjoining room that looked to be a wine cellar. There were two windows that were around 5 inches high and 2 feet wide worked into the top of the wall; it let Naru hear the rain that decided to come down and obscure the light. Looking up Naru found a trap door leading upstairs, but it was missing the ladder. Standing at 5 foot 11 inches there was no way Naru could get himself out that way. He contemplated trying to hit it enough times to catch someone's attention but realized that he transported into a pocket dimension and had no idea if anyone would be able to hear him.

"Gene, is this converged point isolated or is it interactive with the other dimensions?" he finally asked. Naru did not even move his head, just shifted his eyes to look at his twin. There was a part of him that wanted have a reunion with Gene, and confide in him once again. But, Naru had to focus on Mai. She was _alive_ and he was not going to risk her for someone who was dead. He wasn't sure he would risk her for someone alive either.

"I don't know. Have you tried returning the way you came?"

Naru shook his head and thought. It was an interesting idea, although he would prefer leaving the cellar in a more natural way (i.e. through a door) but things weren't working that way. "If the psychometry works in reverse I want you to try to hit the trap door for a while."

"You want to see how connected the dimensions are," Gene stated with a nod. He was sitting cross legged with Sara braiding her hair as she dozed in front of him.

"We also need to get Sara out, as well as investigate the wall Mai went through with proper tools," he replied. He stared at his twin and there was a jolt in his stomach when an idea struck him. He and Sara were solid and living in this space as well as Gene. What if he could walk out of the dimension into their reality? The chances were slim to none. Naru could easily pick apart the flaws in the idea. But, it remained to be proven impossible. If it worked, he could have his brother back.

"Alright, Noll. You better try it now," said Gene, not entirely oblivious to his brother's inner musings. He had the same flickering hope.

With a nod, Naru took the key and focused his energy.

There was a light and Naru found himself in the guy's room once more. He barely realized his success when Monk came in like a maelstrom.

The man's sandy hair looked windblown like he had been running and his eyes were glinting. "Naru! We heard a knocking sound and found a hidden trapdoor in the kitchen. Lin and John are trying to open it now."

Hurrying out of the room Naru and Monk entered the kitchen just as Lin pried open the trapdoor with a crowbar. There was a sharp intake of air as Lin looked down in. He was leaning over the edge, his knuckles white and his eyes wide and dilated.

"Gene?" Lin's voice was a mixture of disbelief, strangled joy and abstract horror. He was knelt down next to the door and continued to gape.

"Nice to see you too, Lin," said Gene cheekily. "Mind giving us a hand?" Lin in utter befuddlement reached his hand down, bracing himself with his other hand, towards Gene.

Instead of reaching for it, Gene lifted a little girl that Lin had failed to notice. Grabbing her wrist firmly and pulled her up gently with Gene shifting his grip on her to support her rising figure as much as possible. Once she was out Ayako took her aside to look her over.

Monk, aside Lin then pulled up Naru's twin. Both men stared at Gene in befuddlement once he was standing in the kitchen. Gene looked a couple of years younger than Naru and quite a bit more chipper. Lin couldn't help a stray thought towards the amount two years of growth had changed Naru. Glancing at the time effected twin Lin started his questions.

"How is Eugene alive?" his voice was slightly cracked with emotion.

"Trans-dimensional convergence," Naru replied concisely. Although he wanted to spend more time studying the phenomena, and perhaps write a thesis on it, he had other business to concentrate on. Before anyone could ask anything else Naru dropped down into the cellar and clicked on a LED flashlight that no one had seen him grab.

XXX

There was a light, that seemed painfully bright to Mai, but really was the faint glow of a candelabra. Squinting through the light Mai tried to take in her surroundings. She was laying of a black and gray marble floor that reflected the candle light and the moonlit rain pounding on the windows. There was a small puddle of her blood from where she had hit her head when she passed out. She was shivering, either from the cold or from shock.

Looking up she saw the most beautiful, ethereal face of a woman. She was inhumanly stunning. Her hair was long, wavy, and the color of stars that shifted hue as you stared, it was over one shoulder, hanging loosely over her breast; her nose was perfect with a long, slender bridge that let up to a her sharp brow, and a button nose. Her eyes were round, with a slight upturn at the edges, giving them a mischievous air, her irises were a reflective grey that caught the candle light. Her mouth was a perfect bow and redder then anything then Ayako had ever worn.

Mai stared at the beautiful woman before her. Her fear melted into oblivion for a stuttered minute as her thoughts struggled to catch up with her.

"I suppose I should introduce myself since you see me?" Her voice matched her appearance and it seemed as though a perfectly played violin was being bowed. "My name is Cailleach of the Tuatha De Danaan."

Mai's instincts were writhing, undulating like a great river after a hard rain. She recoiled in on herself, flinching away from Cailleach.

The movement did not go unnoticed and the sweet smile on Cailleach face flashed for a split second and her true face appeared. A wide smile with long, skinny pointed teeth glinted in the silvery light, eyebrows knotted and eyes narrowed, sinking into her skull, the perfect nose wrinkled and the silver eyes hardened into a steel.

She chuckled as her face retuned to it's previous beauty and lifting one long nailed finger she traced a line from the center of Mai's forehead, down her nose, ending at her chin.

"Did you enjoy the memory of my _first_ meal, Mai?"

Mai whimpered as tears dripped on to the floor, mixing with the new blood falling from the line down her face.

**Hey guys,**

**So, I meant to be prompter on updating this, but the end of April and the beginning of May has been **_**hell**_**. By hell I mean two of my rowers that I coach crashed into a bridge and the engine of my safety launch decided to cut out as I was going to rescue them and the river's current decided to sweep me right **_**into **_**the rowers in the water. By hell I mean that my pup, Max, got hit by a car and shattered his pelvis, and it seemed like there was a chance he could recover eventually. I got all of my hopes up because the vet let us take him home a whole hour earlier than they thought (if he could survive) because even though his pelvis was utterly destroyed and could puncture his organs, everything was going as well as they could have gone. He passed away the next morning without warning. My best friend and her very first boyfriend broke up and I couldn't even hug her because she was 8 hours away at her college. And my dear friend who was helping me through everything just moved 50+ hours away for the summer. By hell I mean, ALL of this happened during finals week and then I got sick from stress and slept for two days.**

**Sorry, you guys don't need to know so much about my life. But I've been needing to VENT every couple of days since everything started simmering down just to kill the pent up stress. **

**Sorry again, I hope you like this chapter even though it's a bit short. **

**~Rose**


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